208 General Notes. ' \_^^_ 



elder Bartram in 1731 and still standing, on the western bank of the Schujl- 

 kill, now within the limits of Philadelphia] and in very severe cold 

 weather sit on the top of the chimnev to warm themselves." 



From these statements two facts are obvious. First, that the Mocking- 

 bird was abundant in the Lower Delaware Valley, in the early part of the 

 last century, and like other Carolinian species was more or less resident 

 throughout the year on the northern limits of its range. Second, that 

 the persistent trapping of tlie bird tended, without doubt, as Wilson 

 suggests, to increase its scarcity in these districts. Nothing appears so to 

 diminish the number of individuals of a bird species as the untiring zeal 

 of nest-hunters, especially with the object of solid cash in view. This, and 

 the rapid and widespread clearing of land in the coastal plain region of 

 the Middle States, has undoubtedly driven this enchanting songster from 

 its former haunts. But some it would seem have a memory and are of a 

 mind to come back. I have heard of a few others besides Mr. Roberts's 

 pair ; one pair that nested in Chester Co., Penna., a few years ago, and 

 then there is the pair reported by Mr. Chapman, from Englewood, N. J. 

 ('Auk', 1SS9, Vol. VI, p. 304). We shall be interested to hear from Mr. 

 Roberts after next summer, and all of us will entertain the hope that these 

 stragglers are spies sent out to view the land and that the prince of song 

 may again enlarge his borders. — Spencer Trotter, SivartJimorc 

 College, PeiDia. 



The Catbird [Galeoscoftcs ca rolhicfisi's) in Massachusetts in Winter. — 

 Just below my house in the northern part of this city is an old pasture 

 grown up with huckleberry, sheep laurel and other bushes, and at the 

 further end is a birch thicket with a tangle of briars and some sumach. 

 While passing this birch thicket about 2 p. m on January 11 last, I heard 

 a note much like the mew of a Catbird, but uttered in an excited, continu- 

 ous manner, more like the notes of that bird when suddenly finding an 

 intruder near its nest. On approaching over the two inches of snow, I 

 was much interested to see a Catbird jump up into one of the bushes about 

 fifteen yards away from me. I at once made the identification sure by 

 using my glasses. The bird was in sight several minutes, passing by 

 short flights to a thicket across the street. While in sight it uttered its 

 mewing note not over two or three times. This was a fine spring-like day 

 with a light southwest wind. — Owen Durfee, Fall River, Mass. 



The Catbird Wintering at Concord, N. H. — On Dec. 3, 1901, while 

 walking through an extensive wood near Concord, N. H., consisting 

 principally of scrub pine, I was very niuch surprised to see a Catbird 

 {Galeoscoptes caroluietisis) hop out of a small scrub-pine, and perch 

 directly in front of me in a bare bush within ten feet of my face. He uttered 

 no note, but flirted up his tail, giving me a view of his brown under tail- 

 coverts, and was gone. I did not have a gun with me at the time so I 

 had no means of securing him, nevertheless there can be no doubt as to 



